Visayas to need 2000 MW additional power by 2030

CEBU, Philippines - Although Visayas currently has enough supply of power resources from new power plants, the Department of Energy (DOE) projects that it will need another 2000 megawatts of supply onwards 2030.

This means that the region will have to attract new additional capacities to support its fast growing economy, said DOE assistant director Irma Exconde.

“Visayas has enough power supply for now,” she said.

Exconde said in 2010 the total power supply in Visayas was 1,364 megawatts. In the last nine months this year, supply stood at 1,431 megawatts, which she expects to be higher in the last quarter of 2011.

 As the demand is expected to rise in the next couple of years, she said there is need to attract more power plants that will be installed in the next three years.

Earlier, DOE secretary Jose Rene Almendras earlier stressed that Cebu is growing so fast and the demand for power is also doubly-growing.

"There is a lot of interest coming in to Cebu. The province can go faster,” he said emphasizing that there is a need for Cebu to act now, in attracting new power plants, or expanding capability base load of existing plants.

Naturally, he said Kepco and CEDC will be inclined to expand or rehab some of the existing government assets to add additional base load capacity of Cebu at least by 2015.

The current power demand here in the Visayas region is growing annually by 5.4 percent, and as an economy grows, consumption of electricity also grows—“usually at a faster clip.”

At present, the dependable capacity in the Visayas alone is at 1,505 MW while peak demand is at 1,430 MW, with a required reserve margin of 335 MW.

“Clearly, this growing need for energy only means more opportunity for our partners in the private sector. We must continue to invest in exploration, development, and production—while at the same time maintaining high standards of management and minimizing environmental impacts.”

It is a challenge therefore he said “for all of us” including private sector— stakeholders and partners in the energy sector—to ensure an enabling environment in a sound climate where clear-cut energy policies will accelerate energy investment activities in the country.

“Despite the energy challenges we encounter, we remain optimistic and we look forward where power outages will be a thing of the past,” Almendras said.— (FREEMAN)